Typographical composing machine



Feb. 10, 1931. G. P. KINGSBURY 1,791,735

' TYPOGRAPHICAL COMPOSING MACHINE Filed May 2, 1929 2 fl I ENTOR Patented Feb. 10, 19311 UNITED STATES PATENT Q'FFICEY eno nan nxINGsBUnY, or HOLLIS, new ,YonmnssIGNon @lnERGmmAs-satma i r TYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION, or ,NEWY YORK V matrices thereafter returned through dis-V tributing mechanism to the magazine from which they started. The release ofthe mat- 1 TYPOGRAPHICAL GOMPOVSING MACHINE Application filed May 2, 1929. Serial No. 359,759.

This invention relates to typographical composing machines, such as linotype machinesof thegeneral organization represented in U. S. Letters Patent .to O. Mergenthaler No. 486,532, wherein circulating 'mat rices are stored in a channeled magazine, released therefrom in the. order in which their characters are to appear in print, and then assembled in line, the composed line transferred to the face of a mold, the mold filled with molten metal to forma slug or linotype against the matrices, which produce the type characters thereon, and the rices from the magazine is ordinarily effected by a series of key-controlled poweroperated escapements, each comprising a rocking lever which is actuated in one direction by a spring and in the other direction by a sliding plunger, and a pair of reciprocating pawls which are moved alternately into and out of the magazine by the rocking i-- lever in controlling the release of the matwithdrawing'the front pawl from engagement with the leading matrix, which is thus allowed toescape, and projecting the rear pawl into the path of thenext or succeeding matrix of the column to arrest it momentarily. When pressure on the actuating plunger is later relieved, the spring acts immediately to restore the escapement lever to its first or original position, the rear vpawl being withdrawn from engagement with said succeeding matrix and -the front pawl 'being moved back into the magazine to in.

tercept and sustain this matrix, which now becomes the leading one. Ateach operation of the escapement, first one'pawl and then the other is abruptly stopped in its upward movement by shoulders formed on the pawls, which shoulders bank against finished surfaces of the escapement supportingaframe I and thus limit the rocking movements of they escapement lever. Escapement mechanisms of this type, whilein general use, are expensive, ;to. manufacture and require great care and precision in the mounting and assem bling of the various parts. Furthermore, the

escapements are quite bulky and take up so mushroom that they prevent the magazines from being arranged as closely together as is sometimes desirable.

' The present invention is directed to a novel form 'of escapement, which willobviate the foregoing difficulties, and which at the same time will-be capable of use inthe commercial -machines or in connection, with the standard magazines without necessitating changesin the other parts. .M'oreover, the;

improved escapement is simple, inexpensive to manufacture, and comprises a minimum of parts. i The construction of the" escapement supporting frame is also equally simple and such that any one-of the escapements 1 may be quickly and conveniently removed for repair or replacement-without disturbing. the others. In the preferiredembodiment illustrated, the escapement merely comprlses a pair of matrix engaging. pawls and a 1 fore-and-aft spring-actuated slide ;mem-: her, which is formed with oppositely disposed cam surfaces adapted to move the pawls alternately into-and out of'the 'magazine as the slide is reciprocated.

In the accompanying drawings,th e invention is shownonlyin preferredform and by way of example, being designed to suit stand-v ard equipment, but obviously many changes I and variations may be made therein and in its mode of adaptation which will still be comprised within its spirit. It should be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment,

except insofar as such limitations are specified the claims. 1

Referring to the drawings: v

Fig. 1 is side elevation of a linotype machine equipped with a series-of superposed magazines andhaving the improved escapements applied thereto; .7 'i F ig, 2- is an enlarged vertical";sec-tion ion through the lower end of a magazine and the escapement supporting frame, showing 2, showing the position of the escapement.

reversed v I Fig. 4 is a detail transverse section taken on the line H of Fig. 2; r

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the escapement supporting frame assent bled; and c Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of an escapement pawl detached.

The matrices X (see Fig.1 are storedin a series of inclined channeled magazines A, arranged one above"v the other .in closely spaced relation and mounted on separate base frames A ,.which conjointly constitute a shift frame, the latter being movable upwardly and downwardly in the machine to bring one or another'of the magazines into operative relation to the fixed assembler throat B. Matrices released from the magazine in use pass into the throat B and thence to the assembler (not shown), wherein they are composed in line preparatory to casting. Aftercasting, the line of matrices is elevated to the distributing mechanism and the individual matrices restored thereby to their respectivemagazine channels.

Each magazine is provided with a series of escapements mounted in a separate sup porting frame hinged to the corresponding base frame A and detachably connected to the magazine, so that themagazine may be removed at will for interchange without removing'the ,escapements. The operation of the e-scapements is controlled from the keyboard-D through the medium of a series of power-operated reeds D and a corresponding series of pivoted levers D the levers D being carried in the fixed machine frame and having their upper ends located in position to engage the escapements of any selected magazine when the latter is brought into operative position. I

So far as described,'the pa'ts, their construction, and mode ofoperatio-n,except as hereinafter pointed out, are or may be the same as embodied in the commercial linotype machine. i v

' As before stated, the present invention is devoted to an improved escap-ement for controlling the release of the matrices one at a time from their magazine. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, each escapement consists essentially of a pairv of pawls E E movable alternately into and out of the magazine, and a fore-and-aft reciprocable cam slide E for operating the pawls. The escapement's of each magazine (there being one for .each column of matrices in the magazine channels), are mounted in a commonsupporting frame F, which is pivotally connected by means of side arms F to the magazine base frame A (see Fig. 1).

The pawls E E of an individual escapement are spaced the usual distance apart, but in the present instance they are slidably mounted inthesupporting frame F so as to move in planes perpendicular to the plane .ofthe. magazlne and thus present square bankin surfaces to the matrices at all times' a At their lower ends, the pawls are guided in notches f formed in the opposite edges of a plate or bar F secured to the underside of the supporting frame F, and at their upper ends-they aresimilarly guided in notches 7 formed in the opposing walls of a longitudinal aperture in the frame F, a retainingbar F detachably securedto-the frame'Fand which fits snugly between said walls being provided to maintain the pawls properly within their guideways. The plate F might, if desired, be made integral with the supporting frame F, but being detachable, it facilitates the assemblage and disassemblage of the parts; v I v The cam slide E is disposed transversely across thesupporting frame F from front-to rear and fits in. open recesses cc (Fig; 6) formed in one side of the pawls E E the arrangement being such that the slide. not only sustains the pawls vertically, but moreover is capable of sliding freely back andforth within said recesses. At the front, the slide E is formed with an exposeddcpending'no-se portion 6 and at the rear with an upstanding ore. depending lip or shoulder eflas the case may be. Between its ends, the slide E is formed with oppositely disposed offset or cam surfaces c e e e, adapted, as the slide is reciprocatcd, to engage the upper and lower walls of the recesses ee and-thus raise and lower the escapement pawls in the manner required. While the resistance offered by the pawls E E slight, the walls of the recesses c c, are rounded'off so as to reduce the friction betweenthe parts and ease up their operation.

The cam slides E of each series of escape ments are mounted in cutsfmilled in the" lower face of the escapement supporting frame proper and are held'in place by two- .retaining'plates F F, common to all of the slides and arranged on opposite sides ofthe plate F in flush relation thereto. The plates F F", F7, are all screwed'to the supporting .frame F (as shown in Fig. 5), so that one rear portion of the supporting frame F and.

, displacement.

a Corresponding recess F formed inlthe retaming plate F Due to the closegspacing of the escapements, the springs E forad'jacent slides (as will'be noted from Fig; 4) are arranged at'diflerent levels or staggered once with each other. In this connection, it may also be observed (see Figs. 2 and 3)" that the rear ends of the slides E and the cl: plate F are formedwith aligned pro tulreranoes over which the springs are seated and which serve to prevent their accidental In adapting the slides E to such staggered arrangement of the springs E the lips a of every other slide are preferably arranged to project upwardly from the rear edges thereof, while the lips of the intermediate slides, are arranged to project downwardly there from. These lips 6 however, are intended primarily to limit the forward movement of the cam slides E and hence they are caused to bank against finished front walls f of the recesses F B, respectively, so as. to locate the cam surfac-es e -e of the slides in proper relation to the esoapeinent pawls without unnecessary lost motion. The rearward movement of the slides E is likewise limited by the engagement of the rear edge their respective nose portions 6 with the front-edge of the plate F so as to locate thcam surfaces e e in proper relation to the pawls without undue lost motion in this direction. While the slides E are thus positively arrested in their reciprocal movements,

. theshocks, tho-ugh comparatively light, are

channel or out of the path of the matrices' absorbed directly by the slides. themselves, the pawls E E riding smoothlyand evenly upon the slides as they are moved the re quired distance into and out of the magazine. 7 When a slide E (see Fig. 2) occupies its forward or normal position, the front pawl 31 is held raised and with its upper end engaged with the leading matrix of the column, while the rear pawl E is held depressed and with its upper end flush or sli htl below the bottom of the ma azine is o Atsuch times, the cam surface 6 of the slide E is located in front of the rounded lower wall of the recess 6 of the front pawl E and the cam surface 0 in similar relation to the upper wall of the recess 6 of the rear pawl E Consequently, as the slide is pushed rearwardly against the tension of the spring E by the operation of the key-controlled lever D the front pawl E will be depressed by the cam surfaceje and the upper end thereof withdrawn from the magazine and out of engagement with the leading matrix,

the rear )awl E at the same time bein raised by the cam surface 6 and its upper end projected into the magazine and into l the path of the next or succeeding matrix.

, Inthis latter or reverse position of the parts E is located immediately rearward of. the rounded. upper wall of the recess 6' of the front pawl E and thecam 6 located in cork V responding relation to thelower wall of the that they may act freely without 'interfer tain it until the escapementisagain ac u-v ated by the finger key;

In the appended claims, the expression matrices is intended to embrace niale type or dies as well as female matrices, it being.

obvious that the invention is as applicable.

to machines which handle the former elements as to linotype machines proper.

. Having thus described my inventiomwhat lclaimis: 1. An escapement devicefor typographh cal composing machines, comprising a cam slide, a reciprocable matrix-engaging pawl actuated directly thereby,,and a fixed guideway in which said pawl is reciprocable.

2. An escapement device for typographiecal composing machines, comprising .ainatriX-engaging pawl, I a reciprocable slide formed with oppositely disposed cam surfaces for operating the pawl directly, and a fixed guideway in which said pawl is re ciprocable. L '3. In a typographical composing machine,

the combination of a matrix magazine, and

an escapement device for controlling therej lease of the matrices one at a time ther from, said device comprising a pair of rectilinearly movable pawls adapted to be moved alternately into and out of the'path of the matrices, and a reciprocable cam slide for 7 ed and movable alternately: into and out of the'pa-th of thematrices to, control their re lease, one at a time, from, the magazine,-- and areciprocable cam slidefor operating the pawls, said pawls being mounted and guided at their opposite ends so as to move in a plane perpendicular tothat of the magazine,

A for the purpose described.

6. In a typographical composing machine,

the combination of a matrix magazine, a pair 7 of rectilinearly movable pawls adapted to be moved alternately into and out of the path I of the matrices for controlling their release,

prising a pair of pawls formed with opensided recesses, and a reciprocable cam slide arranged ins'aid recesses and adapted by its reciprocation to move the pawls alternately into and out of the path of the matrices in controlling their release, one at a time, from the magazine.

8. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a matrix ii-qi'agazine formed with a series of channels wherein the matrices travel on their edges, with a series of escape ments, each comprising a pair of independently supported pawls, and rociprocable cam slide directly engaging the pawls and adapted by its reciprocation to move the pawls alternately into and out of the path of the matrices in controlling their release from the magazine.

9. In a typographical composing machine,

the combination of a matrix magazine formed with a series of channels wherein the matrices travel on their edges, with a series of cscapements, each comprising a pair of pawls, a reciprocable cam slide engaging the pawls and adapted by its reciprocation to move the pawls alternately into and out of the path of the matrices, and a compression spring for maintaining the cam slide resiliently in its normal position, the springs for thesli des of the various escapements being staggered relatively to each other so as to permit close spacing of adjacent slides.

10. In a typographical composing ma chine, the combination ,of a matrix magazine, and a series of escapements associated therewith, each comprising a pair of pawls mov-' able alternately into and out of the path of the matrices, and a reciprocable cam slide for operating the pawls, wit-h a supporting frame wherein the escapements are. mounted, and retaining plates common to all of the escapements for holding them in place, said plates being detachably secured to the supporting frame, for the purpose described.

, 11. In atypographical composing machine,

the combination of a matrix magazine, and a series of eseapements for controlling the releaseiof the matrices therefrom, said escapements each-comprising a pair of pawls slidable ingui'deways at their opposite ends, and

-ments each comprisin a pair of pawls slidable in guideWays at their opposite ends, and formed between their ends with open re- "an' actuating cam' slide movable at right cesses, and an actuating slide'movable at right angles to the pa-wls and formed with oppositely disposed inclined portions engaging in the open recesses of the pawls.

13. A combination as in claim 11, characterized by the factthat the cam slides are formed at their opposite ends with stop shoulders to limit the movement of the slides in opposite directions.

14. A combination as in claim 11, characterized by the fact that the escapemcnts as a whole are mounted in a supporting frame made up in removable sections to facilitate the assemblage and disassemblage of the parts. r e

15. An escapementmechanism for typographical composing'machines, said mechanism embodying a seriesof escapements each comprising the two sliding matrix-engaging pawls E E and the actuating cam slide'E,

together with the supporting frame F having the detachable bottom plates F F and F and the detachable top retaining plate F In testimony whereof, this specification has been. duly signed by:

GEORGE P. KIi GSBURY. 

